陆犯焉识

[Fred0]

Great explanation. Thank you.

[cncorrect]

On 4/28/2024 at 10:40 PM, Fred0 said:

1. Why is it 满是  rather than 满的？

Here are two sentences that are often used in real life. You might notice the differences between them.

大街上满是人。

桌子上的是个满的水壶。

On 4/28/2024 at 10:40 PM, Fred0 said:

2. What is the meaning of 人粪？Is the floor of the waiting room full of human feces? Does the term refer to the four tramps?

 '人粪' means '人的粪便'. This is another example that illustrates how each character in Chinese can represent a word. It's not a term. It has no connection to the 'four tramps'.

[Fred0]

The reader is being introduced to the streets of Shanghai in 1936. We have heard about the Japanese prostitutes and the brothels on Fuzhou road.

 

福州路除了妓馆多，书店更多，大大小小有三百多家。所以穷或富的读书人和写书人像历朝历代的前辈一样跟妓女们亲密杂处。

 

Does 妓女们亲密杂处 say that the scholars and writers who frequent this area for the book stores also frequent the brothels, have sex with the prostitutes, or just mix with the prostitutes and their guests on the road. If it's sex the author is implying, which words tip the reader off to that. Google translate wants to say that it's sex. I want to say that they just rub shoulders on the street.

[Jim]

I agree with you that literally it just says that they mix, though 亲密 is perhaps suggestive of more than just passing on the street.

[cncorrect]

'杂处' means '交杂相处'. It does not necessarily imply sex trading. Nor does it neccessarily mean that any activity occured on the street. Perhaps the prostitutes simply sang or danced for their guests. I know that in ancient China, some prostitutes only performed.

[Fred0]

Thanks for the reassurance.

[Fred0]

Yanshi has just received praise for his recent article from a certain David Wei.

 

焉识想，假如自己的虚荣心是痒处，大卫的夸奖句句都没有挠偏。焉识知道虚荣心可悲，但他没办法。

 

I interpret  没有挠偏 to mean David did not deviate from the correct spot to scratch, or, in other words, he found the right spot to scratch. Is that correct? 

[Jim]

I agree; every line of praise hit the spot.

[Fred0]

 

Yanshi is threatening a magazine edtor with legal action if he does not pull an article that Yanshi has written and is now embarrassed by from an issue which is already in proofs, sitting on the corner of a table next to Yan Shi. David Wei is a leader of the political group that publishes the magazine.

 

他把眼睛转开，不去看编辑为难到极点的脸。就像他面前是望达，问他是否真的相信那是他们最后一次见面。焉识把清样从桌角拿起来，一边转身一边说对不起、再会，再会、对不起。编辑还不死心，要他稍微等五分钟，他要跟大卫·韦打个电话商量一下。大卫是个很能纠缠的人，焉识此刻已经站在了楼梯口，趁着编辑摇电话的时候身体重心一变，几乎连栽带跑地下了楼去。

Who or what is 望达? I can’t find any reference to this creature.

What does the editor mean about he and Yanshi never seeing one another again? Is he saying that if Yanshi brings legal action against the magazine, it will destroy their relationship forever?

Is the phrase 连栽带跑 a play on the phrase 连奔带跑, suggesting that he is hurrying down the steps and stumbling-ly doing so?

[Jim]

No idea who 望达 is either but it reads as if it's comparing the embarrassment of the editor to some fictional (?) character asking if their lover (?) truly believes they are never to meet again and the protagonist can't meet them in the eye - maybe there was a novel or movie at the time where there was a scene like that. 

Agree on the second point, it's that same structure and means he's half running, half falling down the stairs in his rush to get away.

[Fred0]

Thanks very much. 

[Jim]

Did subsequently wonder if 望达 means "object of affections" or similar in some dialect rather than being someone's name, but can't find anything to back that guess up.

[Luxi]

@Fredo and @Jim I enjoy your questions and answers sessions very much, though I never can contribute anything. Just a thought, I wonder if you're not making 望达 too complicated, could this just be a contraction of 希望达到? It may roughly translate as 'expectations' would that fit into the context, Fredo?   

[Fred0]

 

Luxi's suggestion does fit into the context as later, as Yanshi is recalling the pale yellow appearance of the editor's face,, the author writes: 辛勤和理想都落空了的菜黄脸。

 

The editor thinks he is seeing his whole career going down the drain as a result of Yanshi's demand that his article be pulled. Maybe this then is the meaning of his asking Yanshi if he believes that he is seeing him for the last time- i.e. before he is fired.  It still seems very awkwardly written, but maybe I am just not understanding the Chinese idiom. It's all so indirect.

[Jim]

See what you mean @Luxi; certainly seems more likely!

[cncorrect]

I've found an article from which I learned that '望达' is a character in the fiction. Perhaps you can find a clue there: https://www.jianshu.com/p/ff1ba7497002.

[Fred0]

Of course, now I remember. Wanda was his girl friend when he was studying in America. I should have done a search of the text before I bothered others with this question. I will remember next time to do that. I read so  slowly, that it was many months ago that I was reading this episode of Lu Yanshi's life. Thanks for the help.

[Luxi]

Context trumps all! 😂

I must say, 望达 is a nice name for a woman.

[Fred0]

Indeed!  Fortunately, I am old enough that I can blame my foolish blunders on that. 

[Fred0]

The Japanese have occupied parts of Shanghai. En Niang is pondering whether she (or they all) should move inland.

 

焉识如果说，一打起来就难说，十年八载一家人内地、上海两地分着，也不是一桩事情。

Yanshi said, speaking hupothetically, that if fighting were to break out, God forbid,  and for eight or ten years the family is divided between the inland and Shanghai, it would not be an issue.

 

1. Is “speaking hypothetically” a reasonable translation of 如果说?

2. Is this a reasonable translation of 难说

3. How is the phrase 十年八载 different in meaning from 八年或十年. What is the meaning of 载 in the context of that phrase?

 

婉喻这时总是做应声虫的，说对的呀，一家人不可以分开来十年八载的，东北人从“九·一八”到现在，还留在上海，跟他们家里人分开呢！婉喻应声虫做到此时，恩娘便会笑眯眯看她一眼。

Wanyu, at that time would always be agreeable, and respond positively. But, on this subject she would speak up and say that a family can’t be separated for eight or ten years,  Look at the situation of the people from the northeast. From the time of the September 18 incident until now they have stayed here in Shanghai, separated from their family members (in the north)! When the normally agreeable Wanyu would speak up on this issue, En Niang would flash her a great big smile.

 

Question: Have I got this anywhere near right?